Choosing which CBD product to buy shouldn't be a brain buster. Here's what you need to know to solve the mystery.
The CBD business is flourishing. Now a billion-dollar a year industry in the United States, every day, more and more people opt to try CBD as a holistic approach to their health and wellness over prescription medications.
While there are hundreds of products you can buy from your local CBD store, not all are created equal. This difference boils down to what type of CBD extract is infused into the product. Some products are combined with extracts that contain only a single cannabinoid, while others may have more than 100 kinds of cannabinoids—or compounds produced by the cannabis plant.
There are three general classifications of CBD extracted products you can purchase: isolate, broad-spectrum, and full-spectrum. How each category is classified directly relates to the individual cannabinoids that make up the extract.
In this blog, we demystify the different CBD products out there and breakdown what chemical differences you should know about the various extracts.
What are Cannabis Extracts?
Cannabis extracts come from the cannabis plant—either hemp or marijuana—and may have over 100 individual cannabinoids in the extract. Understanding the difference between a hemp and marijuana extract has to do with the cannabinoid profile of the extract. Cannabinoid profiles are specific to a type of cannabis strain and give information on the concentration and types of cannabinoids that comprise the extract.
The main difference that exists between hemp and marijuana, chemically, lies in the amount of THC and CBD present in the plant. THC is a psychoactive cannabinoid that gives you the "high sensation" and feelings of euphoria. CBD on the flip side acts differently in your body and does not produce the same physical sensations as THC.
Extracts that come from hemp plants contain less than 0.3% THC and cannot get you high since there is a minimal amount of THC, while extracts that originate from marijuana may have up to 30% THC and will get you high.
How are CBD Extracts Made?
Cannabinoids like CBD and THC are fatty by nature. They don't like water, so a majority of CBD extracts are produced using a solvent-based method of extraction with fat-loving solvents like ethanol, butane, hexane, or supercritical CO2. The process of making CBD extracts is pretty complicated, and the types of compounds present in each category ultimately depend on the refinement process of the crude cannabis extract.
Cannabis plants and the resulting spectrum-based extracts contain an abundance of chemical compounds in addition to cannabinoids, such as terpenes and flavonoids. The distinction between a product infused with an isolate versus broad-spectrum or full-spectrum oil relates to the types of cannabinoids and other compounds in the extract.
Once the cannabinoids are separated from the plant fats, and pigments then comes the step of making the spectrum and isolates. In the case of isolates, all of the terpenes and flavonoids are separated and removed from the extract.
What Does the Term Spectrum Mean?
The term spectrum in the cannabis world is just another way of speaking about products that have an extensive range, or more than one cannabinoid and/or terpene present. You can equate this idea to the visible spectrum or R O Y G B I V you see in the rainbow. Meaning this same concept applies to spectrum-based CBD extracts, but in this case, you replace colors with the various cannabinoids.
Unlike the rainbow, which has only seven colors, the cannabis plant has over 100 individual cannabinoids. Can you imagine seeing a rainbow with over 100 different colors?
Whew, that would be a glorious vision to remember for sure.
Full-spectrum vs. Broad-spectrum CBD Extracts
The easiest way to distinguish a full-spectrum from a broad-spectrum extract is based-on the cannabinoid profile.
Full-spectrum CBD extracts contain the psychoactive compound THC, plus the other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that occur naturally in the plant. If we refer back to our rainbow analogy, you can think of a full-spectrum extract as having all the colors
R O Y G B I V, or all of the 100 plus plant cannabinoids.
Broad-spectrum CBD extracts, on the other hand, do not contain THC. These extracts go through a bit more of a chemical refinement process to take out the THC but still retain all the other cannabinoids in addition to the terpenes and flavonoids. In this situation, your rainbow is now O Y G B I V, missing the color red or the cannabinoid THC.
What is a CBD Isolate?
Unlike spectrum-based products, CBD isolates contain only the single cannabinoid, CBD, and not a mixture of the other plant compounds. Using the rainbow example again, this equates to having a rainbow with just a single color, like green.
Isolates are the purest and most concentrated form of CBD available and the most chemically refined type of extract compared to full-spectrum and broad-spectrum. You can isolate any individual cannabinoid like CBD or THC, but the most common form is CBD isolate.
If you're looking to get a hearty dose of pure CBD, then consuming a product infused with a CBD isolate is the way to go.
How to Decide Between Spectrum type and Isolate for Yourself
There is no right or wrong answer when deciding on what type of CBD product you should consume. The decision boils down to if you prefer to have THC and what result(s) you want to achieve with the product.
Studies show that cannabinoids are synergistic when taken together versus just a single one like CBD. This synergism is one reason why a majority of consumers prefer to use full-spectrum and broad-spectrum products instead of isolates, especially for its calming properties and potential to reduce discomfort.
That said, there are benefits to consuming broad-spectrum products over full-spectrum or isolates, especially if you don't want to use THC but want to reap the synergistic benefits from a cocktail of cannabinoids.
How to Decide Between Spectrum and Isolates for Your Pet(s)
When buying CBD for your fur children, make sure the product is infused with an isolate or broad-spectrum extract and not a full-spectrum extract that contains THC. The reason being, THC is toxic to pets and may cause a loss of coordination, slow their heart rate, and in some cases, may trigger seizures.
As a loving pet owner, the last thing you want to do is unintentionally harm your best friend. Do your due diligence and make sure the CBD products you give your pets are THC free.
All products from Gaia Provides are infused with a broad-spectrum CBD extract so you and your pets can reap the effects of cannabinoids together, without the THC.
Ensure Independent Third-party Labs Test the Products You Buy!
Since cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, there is no universal mandate for testing of products. The current facts are over 70% of the products on the market are not what they claim, meaning the amount of CBD in the product or actual ingredients do not match the label.
A part of good manufacturing practice involves testing to guarantee product quality and safety, so always make sure the companies that you buy from can provide a Certificate of Analysis. That way, you know you are consuming safe products AND getting your money's worth.
At Gaia Provides, we utilize a triple testing method to provide proof of quality assurance. We send all batch samples for testing post-manufacture to credible USA laboratories with industry educated chemists and experienced staff to validate the potency and purity of our products.
Final Thoughts
As a consumer, you deserve access to resources and to know what exactly you are putting in your body when you purchase your CBD products. There are not enough educational resources in the US to provide clarity on the topic of cannabis extracts, which is further stalled by the fact cannabis is still illegal at the federal level.
Due to these regulations, a majority of veterinarians and some doctors cannot speak to the potential medicinal benefits of cannabinoids, the chemical distinction between hemp and marijuana, or how these compounds interact with your body's endocannabinoid system. We suggest you remain vigilant with researching on your own and utilize peer-reviewed journals and other scientific outlets to compare information.